SO YOU THINK YOU CAN

COOK What is required

Yes everyone must have

Phone: 806 378 9472

Fax:806 378 9353

Email: deree.duke@ci.amarillo.tx.us

Describe your loca-

tion by landmark or

area of town.

Thermometer

Gloves

Bleach or approved sanitizer

Paper towels

Hand soap

Equipment to keep food cold

Equipment to keep food hot

Fire extinguisher

Test strips to test

the sanitizer

strength

Natural News Network and Artist Mike Adams

How food makes you sick Symptoms of Food Sickness

First symptoms of foodborne illness include

nausea,

vomiting, stomach cramps,

and diarrhea.

Older people, pregnant women, children, and people whose immune systems are weak from cancer or other serious illnesses run a greater risk of getting ill.

How does food get contaminated?

Sometimes germs get into food through slaughter and meat processing procedures or through water containing human and animal waste and sewage.

Food handlers can

also contaminate food.

Keeping our Citizens Safe bacteria

Foodborne Illness Victims Mark President Obama's First 100 Days By Calling For Permanent Fix To Food Safety System

C ITY OF AMARILLO ,

You slurped the oysters, devoured the pork chop and ate every crumb of the apple pie -- yet another fine dinner . But at 3 a.m., you awake in a sweat, your insides churning and one thought on your mind: "That food made me sick."

City of Amarillo, Environmental Health Department

Natural News Network and Artist Mike Adams

165° F … Poultry, ground poultry Stuffing with poultry, meat & fish Microwave cooking & reheating Reheating leftovers

155° F … Ground meat & fish Injected meat (i.e. tenderized)

145° F … Meat, fish & raw shell eggs

135° F … Hot holding of foods

41° F … Cold holding of foodsMeat = beef, pork & lambPoultry = chicken, turkey, duck & goose

RECOMMENDEDSafe Food Temperatures

Using a food thermometer is the ONLY reliable way to ensure food safety.

These are the minimum safe food temperatures required by the Texas Food Establishment Rules.

www.dshs.state.tx.us/foodestablishments

Digital Thermometer

Dial Thermometer

Publication # 23-12786 (Rev. 8/06)Food Establishments Group

Definitions

If you provide food to the public there are laws that require you to maintain these standards

• Obtain permits

• Do not fix any food at a private home

• Protect the food at every step

• Keep food/drinks hot or cold

• Wash your hands and keep them clean

Inside this issue:

Permits and Inspections 2

Booths and Cook off team areas

2

Food/drink preparation areas

3

Food Ice and Drinks 3

Practices 4

Hand washing 4

Required Items for each booth/team area

5

Considerations before you serve food or drink to the public

Event sites have unique hazards to the food you serve such as wind, rain, dust and insects. These guidelines are based on state law and offer a safe way to serve food to the public.

• Due to limited food protection capability and clean-up facilities most temporary food establishments are allowed only limited food preparation.

• Booths that are properly constructed with floors, walls and ceilings and have hot and cold running water under pressure may provide adequate protection for preparation of foods/drinks inside the booth.

Amarillo Bi-City-County Health District

October 2009

Issue 10 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT POLICY FOR OPERATION OF

TEMPORARY FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS AND COOK OFFS

Temporary food establishments are food service establishments, which are permitted to operate without complying with all the requirements of the rules for restaurants. Temporary food establishments include cook offs and events sponsored by non-profit agencies or groups.

Potentially hazardous foods include meats, chicken, seafood, fried foods, fruits, vegetables, and some drinks. Any food or drink can become dirty.

Extensive preparation would include mixing, combining two or more ingredients and taking more than 4 hours to begin the cooking process for any food.

Food preparation area: any area where food/drinks are mixed, cut or seasoned

Food Service area any area where food is served to people.

You may need to contact Building Safety regarding their requirements and or inspections relating to temporary structures:

Dan Aldrich 378-6095 or

Randy Schuster 378-3042

The number for Code Enforcement in Canyon is

655-5014.

Prevent, Promote, Protect

The preparation of potentially hazardous food requiring limited preparation, such as hamburgers and frankfurters, and whole meat BBQ that would require only seasoning and cooking may be prepared in the booth/cook off area. Caution must be taken to protect the food, the table the food is prepared on and any utensil used in the preparation.. Foods requiring extensive preparation MUST BE prepared in a kitchen, already permitted by the Department, or a church, school, or club kitchen that would have adequate facilities to handle the foods prepared unless the booth can meet all food protection standards mentioned.

The Environmental Health Department

must be notified before extensive preparation so that an inspection can be completed before the food is served at the event. If we are not notified of the food preparation, then this may result in the food prohibited from service at the event

A permit is required for EACH booth unless the cook off sponsor has opted to apply for one permit that will cover all teams. (See application for permit fee.)

The completion of an application does not guarantee that a permit will be issued.

Permits and inspections

FROM June 1 Until October 31 food prep areas must be screened or protected from insects with air curtains

Booths and cook off team areas

Prepare and serve food safely including special events.

Page 2 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT

All applications are due in the Environmental Health Department office a minimum of two (2) working days before an event.

Applications must be received in our office by this deadline or they cannot operate.

Food preparation areas located outside in parks, fields, on parking lots, or on street corners must be totally enclosed (walls, ceilings, and floors) in a booth.

Food can be served inside buildings.

Food service areas must be enclosed in a booth with floors, walls and ceilings or the food must be constantly covered in-side chaffing dishes/electric warmers/electric coolers/steam tables with lids, or packaged into individual servings and maintained at proper temperatures.

Packaged food that is served to the customer in the same unopened package will not require a totally enclosed booth, but you must arrange the food area so the public cannot gain entrance around the food The attached sample booth/cook off team area is one example of how to set up the food area.

June 1 THROUGH October 31 food preparation areas must be protected from insects. Screening (16 mesh) is the preferred method to prevent any problem from houseflies and other flying insects. Service windows shall be screened and shall be kept closed except when in actual use. The top and the bottom need to be affixed so the flies do not come in underneath the screening. Service windows shall be screened and shall be kept closed except when in actual use.

Extensive preparation and handling of food at the site requires the booth/cook off team area be equipped with hot and cold running water for utensil washing and hand washing.

If a single event lasts more than one day, hot and cold running water will be required.

Food vendors that extensively prepare food in their booths (example: mixing/blending of ingre-dients, slicing and peeling of raw produce, any food that requires washing before preparation, any preparation that would require washing of utensils and equipment during preparation) must have a booth/cook off team area equipped with a hand washing sink and a separate two compartment utility sink properly plumbed with hot and cold running water under pressure

Food preparation and service areas must be made of wood, or other materials that protect the interior from the weather and prevents the entrance of insects. Solid or screened, doors shall have springs so that they are self closing. All outer openings will remain closed except when in use. Floors will be constructed of concrete, asphalt, tight wood, or other cleanable material that is in good repair. Dirt or gravel, when graded to drain may be used as sub-flooring when covered with plywood or similar product.

Cookers/smokers and grills must be enclosed. Flat open grills;

smokers and cookers without lids or weatherproof durable covers are not allowed. State law specifically requires cookers to be enclosed. The public must not gain access to this area so there is less of a chance of a person contaminating the food. A second reason to prohibit public contact with any cooker is for safety reasons and to reduce the chance of someone being burned by a hot surface. Food must be taken to and from the cookers/smoker in a food grade container that is covered with a lid to pro-tect the food from insects, dirt and rain. The food must remain covered until served to the customer.

• Keep hot foods hot, above 135°F. Keep

cold foods cold, below 41°F.

• Reheat foods rapidly. (Maximum of 1 hour)

• Keep all foods at least 6 inches above the

ground and keep them covered and protected from dust and insects.

• Handle food as little as possible. Wear

single service gloves and use spatulas, forks, and spoons.

• Ice must come from an inspected source. Ice must be in single-use safe plastic bags sealed at the point of manufacture. REMEMBER ice is a food and must be stored in a clean container and protected like any other food.

• Adequate provisions must be made for

refrigeration of perishable food and drink. No foods shall be stored in un-drained ice.

• If raw food is held for 4 hours or more it must

be held under mechanical refrigeration and not ice.

Food preparation areas must protect the food you cook

Ice and drinks must be protected too

• The public cannot serve food to themselves without adequate sneeze guards and serving utensils in place for each food served.

As food is served to the public, great care must be taken to ensure flies, dust and other debris does not enter the food. Covered hot holding units, preferably mechanical in nature, must be utilized and kept covered when food servers are not accessing the food. Sterno units may be utilized as long as the food is held at proper temperatures. If wind or other conditions do not allow the sterno units to hold proper temperatures, mechanical units must be utilized.

Food • Food held or cooked for team members or

volunteers cannot be stored with food served to the public. If “private” self-consumption food is provided, it must be labeled and held separately from any and all food that is served to the public. Any food not segregated and not prepared on site will be subject to detention by the Health Officer.

• Sanitarians will ask for receipts for any

food not held in the original container. Failure to furnish a receipt can result in the food being detained.

Keep hot foods hot

(135°F or above)

Keep cold

foods cold (41°F or below)

Page 3

Obtain food from an inspected place, Cook thoroughly Serve safely and avoid contamination

Issue 10

• All single service items (napkins, cups, etc.) stored off the ground and covered for protection.

• To avoid contaminating food please do not eat, drink or smoke and then handle food or drink. Your hands must be washed with soap and water before returning to work when you eat, drink or smoke and BEFORE YOU PUT ON GLOVES.

• Clean gloves must be worn or a clean and sanitized utensil must be used each time you handle food that is ready to eat.

• Gloves are always worn on clean hands. DO NOT put single service gloves on over dirty hands.

• DO NOT REUSE SINGLE SERVICE GLOVES. • No person engaged in the handling or serving of food or drink shall return to

work, after using the toilet, without first thoroughly washing his/her hands. • Prepare a mild solution of bleach water and store your wiping cloths in it or

you can use paper towels and a spray bottle with a mixture of bleach and water to disinfect areas within your booth. Use test strips to determine concentration of the sanitizer.

• Do not eat while preparing or serving food. • Drinks in containers with lids are allowed. • Handle plastic flatware by handles and do not store food in plastic garbage bags. • Garbage and refuse must be kept in proper containers with tight fitting lids • Dispose of liquid wastes in restrooms, or other sanitary sewer lines and not

down the gutter. • Wastewater cannot be dumped on the asphalt, in the grass or in the curb. • Used cooking oil must be disposed of in an oil waste container. Do not pour on

the asphalt or in the grass, down any sewer line, storm drain, or gutter.

When you serve the public you must take precautions

Page 4 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT

1. Wet hands with hot, running water 2. Apply soap 3. Rub hands for at least 20 seconds 4. Clean under fingernails and between fingers 5. Rinse hands thoroughly under running water 6. Dry hands

Please follow these rules

PO Box 1971 821 S Johnson Amarillo TX Phone: 806 378 9472 Fax: 806 378 9353 TDD 806 378-4229

Amarillo Bi-City-County Health District Environmental Health Department

Items Required for Each Booth/Cook Off Team Area

1. Mechanical equipment to keep cold food at 41° or below 2. Mechanical equipment to heat food and to hold food at 135°F 3. Probe thermometer for testing foods internal temperatures 4. Disposable gloves 5. Bleach or approved sanitizer* 6. Test strips to measure the concentration of the sanitizer 7. Paper towels 8. Hand sanitizer 9. Liquid hand soap for hand washing** 10. Fire extinguisher

Page 5 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Salmonella, and e. coli are two common bacteria that are found in food and do make people ill.

*An approved sanitizer will indicate on the label that it is approved for use inside a food establishment. Household disinfectants like “409 and Lysol” are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a sanitizer and cannot be used at temporary food events. **If the sponsor of the temporary event does not provide hand-washing stations, then you must have at least two buckets of water, one for hand washing and one for hand rinsing inside your booth/cook off team area. Please remember these are guidelines and do not address every situation that may arise during an inspection. We encourage you to schedule a time to discuss your event with the department so issues may be resolved prior to the event.

Have all of these items so you are allowed to

operate

No leftover cooked foods can be held for service to people the

next day

State law prohibits sleeping quarters in or adjacent to food preparation areas. If you are sleeping in your RV, then no food preparation, including seasoning and storage of food for the public can occur in the RV. Laws restrict this activity to reduce the possibility of food contamination from poisonous or toxic materials, dust or debris. Article IV of the amendments to the US Constitution ensures the right of persons to be secure in their homes. Texas law prohibits Health Officials from inspecting private quarters.